THE Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) has announced the removal of seven universities in India and Cyprus from the official list of institutions accredited with the quality assurance and standards body.
This follows last week’s order to the shadowy International Institute of Philanthropy (IlP) to immediately revoke honorary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees issued to high-profile individuals.
In a statement this Monday, ZIMCHE said following a review of the accreditation status of various foreign higher education institutions, the seven were struck off the list, although no reasons were given.
“This notice serves to inform the public that the following institutions are no longer accredited with ZIMCHE; Girne American University (Northern Cyprus), Sharda University of India, Parul University (India), Near East University (Northern Cyprus), University of Kyrenia (Northern Cyprus), The European University of Lefke (Northern Cyprus) and University of Nicosia (Northern Cyprus).
“In light of the development, we strongly advise members of the public to verify the accreditation status of foreign universities they intend to enrol with or consider for their children’s university education.
“Studying at an unaccredited institution may result in financial loss and has serious implications for one’s academic qualifications and career prospects,” reads the notice.
ZIMCHE recently invalidated dubious IIP awards bestowed on various prominent citizens, including Zanu PF apologists and benefactors.
In a statement last Friday, ZIMCHE boldly asserted IIP’s awarding of honorary degrees violates Zimbabwean laws, specifically section 75(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013, and section 10(1) of the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education Act (Chapter 25:27). These statutes prohibit unregistered institutions from offering degrees.
As a result, ZIMCHE declared IIP’s awarded degrees unrecognised within Zimbabwe and cautioned the public against using titles such as “doctor” from outlawed institutions.
“We take the integrity of the higher education system in Zimbabwe very seriously, and will not tolerate any attempts to undermine it,” ZIMCHE said.
IIP was ordered to withdraw all conferred degrees and inform recipients accordingly publicly.
Several high-profile people, including Kambucha Beverages director Eric Francis Niyonsaba, musician Mudiwa Hood, controversial businessman Dilesh Nguwaya of Drax International and Geo Pomona Waste Management, who has links to the First Family, were recently awarded degrees by IIP.
Others are Midlands businesswoman Smelly Dube, Fatima Maruta, and Paul Shambare, who were honoured with Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters (DHL) by IIP at a recent ceremony in Harare, presided over by Enrico Maverick, IIP’s country representative known for distributing questionable awards.
NewZimbabwe.com has it on good authority that would-be recipients of the fake doctorates were asked to pay a staggering US$1 000 to attend the conferment ceremony in Harare. Those who failed to pay were automatically excluded from getting the counterfeit qualifications.
Source: NewZimbabwe.com
